The following description relates to a flow diverter for diverting fluid flow to different modules in a fluid application device for discharging or applying a fluid, for example, onto a substrate or strand of material.
Nonwoven fabrics are engineering fabrics that provide specific functions such as absorbency, liquid repellence, resilience, stretch, softness, strength, flame retardant protection, easy cleaning, cushioning, filtering, use as a bacterial barrier and sterility. In combination with other materials, nonwoven materials can provide a spectrum of products with diverse properties and can be used alone or as components of hygiene apparel, home furnishings, health care, engineering, industrial and consumer goods.
An adhesive application device includes one or more nozzles configured to discharge an adhesive onto a substrate, such as a nonwoven fabric. In some configurations, the nozzle may discharge the adhesive onto one or more strands of the elasticated material, and the elasticated material may then be bonded to the substrate. In other configurations, the nozzle may discharge the adhesive directly onto the substrate. The nozzle includes a plurality of outlets through which the adhesive may be discharged.
The adhesive application device may include an applicator head configured to receive the adhesive from a supply. The one or more nozzles are secured to the applicator head and configured to receive the adhesive from the applicator head. The applicator head includes an input conduit through which the adhesive is received from the supply. The input conduit may split into multiple output conduits, each output conduit configured to deliver the adhesive a respective nozzle.
Conventionally, the output conduits of the applicator head are manufactured to deliver an equal volume of the adhesive to each nozzle. That is, the total volume received in the input conduit may be equally distributed among the output conduits over a period of time, for subsequent delivery to respective nozzles.
However, in some applications, the number of outlets on the different nozzles may vary or the flow from each outlet may need to vary. In such a scenario, a flow rate of the adhesive discharged from the outlets of the different nozzles may vary. For example, where one nozzle includes two outlets and another nozzle includes four outlets, and the outlets of the first and second nozzles are formed of the same dimensions, an equal volume received at each nozzle results in a flow rate from each outlet of the two-outlet nozzle that is double that of the flow rate from each outlet of the four-outlet nozzle. The differences in the flow rates of the adhesive discharged from the nozzles may lead to inconsistent adhesive application properties or patterns across the different strands.
In some configurations, the flow rate or volume of adhesive may be individually metered by installing respective pumps at each output conduit. However, this configuration requires excess components that may be difficult to manipulate, expensive to produce and time consuming to install and/or remove.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a fluid application device having a modular flow diverter that may be installed and removed as a unit to meter or control a volume of fluid delivered to different nozzles.